Ditching-machine.



W. H. ALLEMAN.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I4A 1914. 4 1,176,419. 1mm/[Qd Mur. 21,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. H. ALLEMAN.

DTCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man Aua.l4.1914.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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.1w/ENTE MMM/ v W. H. ALLEMAN.

DITCHING MACHlNE. APPLICATloN FILED AuG.14,\914.

1,176,419. Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

3 SHEETS'SHEET 3 'INvINTny\:

NITNIEEES;

UNTTED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM H. ALLEMAN, 0F MAQUON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MAX BARASH, 0F MAQUON, ILLINOIS.

DITCHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Liar, 21, 1916,

Application filed August 14, 1914. Serial No. 856,854.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. ALLE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Maquon, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements vrelate more particularly to machines for digging ditches and for discharging the dirt therefrom. However, l desire it distinctly understood that some--in fact the primary-features of the invention may be readily adapted to loading machines, to coal, slack, sand and gravel shifting machines, to hay elevating forks, and to a great many other uses.

One of the objects `of the invention is to provide a self-propelled ditching machine which will cut its own path or roadway and which is so constructed that notwithstanding inequalities in the ground surface, as hills or gullies within reasonable proportions as regards height or depth, the machine will cut a ditch the bottom of which is level.

Another of the objects is to remove the dirt from the ditch as it is cut, and to cast it to one side.

Another object is to provide a machine of the class described in which the propelling mechanism, the digging tool or scraper, and the unloading tool or scoop are simultaneously operated, and by-a common motor carried on the machine.

Another object is to provide novel means for raising or lowering one end'of the machine to regulate the depth of cutting, and to utilize the same means for turning it.

Another object is to provide a novel and useful movement or peculiar movement of the scraper and scoop, and to give the latter a sudden impetus as it discharges its load.

It is an object to generally improve the construction and to increase the capacity, utility and efiiciency of devices of this character.

Other objects, some of which will be obvious and some of which will be specifically pointed out, will presently appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical andpreferred embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a side ele,-

vation; Fig. 2, `a perspective, seenas thoughv looking 1n the direction of the arrow at the line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse sec,- tion in the line 3 3 in Fig. 1; and Fig'. 4, a rear elevation-a detail, taken in the plane of the line 1 4 in Fig. 1.

Coming now to a' detailed description of the drawings and referring to each element (and part thereof where necessary) by a distinguishing reference character', uniformly employed, 2, 2 indicate longitudinally arranged main frame'bars. l

3, 3 are main frame cross bars.V 4 designates an engine supported on the main frame. Y Y

5 is a castor wheel the stock of which is engaged by the lower end of a shank 7 the body of which passes throughan eyeformed by a pair of plates 8 secured to therearlend of theframe. v i v 8, 8 are nuts engaged by the threads on the shank 7 whereby adjustments of the castor wheel relatively to the plates`f8, to

may be made. .Y 9, 9 designate bearings for'an axle 10 on which are fixed a pair of traction wheels 11. 12 is a worm wheel fixed to oneof the traction wheels 11.

Bolted on the bar 3 is a boxing 13 for a worm shaft 14. Bolted on the same bar is a bracket 15 which supports a bearing 16 for one end of the engine shaft 17.

18 designates a fly wheel on the rear end of the shaft 17. Fixed on the rear end of the shaft 14 is a bevel gear wheel 19 which meshes with and drives a like wheel 20 fixed on a shaft 21 mounted in bearings 22 seated on a pair of strips 23 arranged one on each frame bar 2 and only one of which is shown. Fixed on the distant end of the shaft 2l is a driving sprocket 24 which is embraced by a chain 25 which embraces also a sprocket 26 fixed on the projecting end of a Ushaped crank 27 mounted in bearings 28 on the front ends of the bars 2. The front end of the shaft 14 has an end-thrust bearing in a boxing 29 secured by bolts 30 (Fig. 2) on the rear face of a frame plate 32. AThe worms or threads;` of the shaft 14 engage those of the Wheel 12 to pli-opel the machine,

either in operation or for transportation fromplace toplace. Mounted inbearings 33 on the bars 3 and 3 are the ends of the bar portion of a U-shaped' crankA 34.

8 5 is a stop-arm fixed on one end o f the crank 34. f

The cranks 27 and 34 are practically duplicates and their` cross.` pieces or arms en- 'gage respectively the front and rear openings in a pair'of scraper sidearms 35, to the front ends'of which is secured a scraper 36.

37 is a coil spring one end of which is secured to a projecting end of the crank 34 -vand the other end o'flwhich engages a pin as, Fig. 1.

41 indicates a U-shapedupper frame bar 1..5Qis a longitudinally arranged bar'each :endfof`-which is slotted to receive the bars 41, 42. 51, 52 indicate bolts passed through the-frontand rear ends respectively of said bar,'exterior to?4 the bars 41,42, f or assem- -bling purposes. 53 is a longitudinally arranged bar each end of which is slotted to receive the bars 41, 42 on the opposite side of the machine.

54, 55 indicate bolts passedthrough the front and rearends respectively of the bar 53, exterior to the bolts 41, 42, also for as-v sembling purposes.

56 is a frame plate. 57 is a metallic shield. I Y 58 is a metallic sheet, its lower'end fixe to the frame bar 50, thence curved semicir` cularly downward and thence bent upward to form the bottom and front of a dirt-receptacle or pocket, thesides of which are provided by the elements 56 and 57 at the rear and by the element 32 at the front. Its median portion is secured to the bar 5 3`and its extreme end is free. Y

Mounted in bearings in the upper part of the superstructure 45, 46 are the terminals of a U-shaped crank 59. 60 is a stop-arm on one of said terminals. 60 is a stop-pin, and 60 a stop-bracket; these two limit the Vand rear registering openings in which receive respectively thecranks 61, 59.

64 is a coil spring one end of which is" engaged with the crank 61 and the other en of which takes against the bar 43. I

65 indicates a scoop secured to the fron ends of the arms 62. v

' 66 indicates a sprocket wheel fixed eccentrically on the shaft 14. 67 vdesignates a l similar wheel fixed eccentrically onA one end of the crank 59. 68 is a sprocket chain embracing said wheels. 69-is an idler sheave l journaled on a wrist pin secured at the pendent end of a swinging arm 70 pivoted at 71 to the bar 43 and embraced also by said chain 68.

71 is a bracket secured on the bar 44.

72 is a retractile spring one end of which is secured to the idler arm 70 and the other end of which engages the eye of a bolt 73- which passes through an aperture in the bracket 71. 74 is a nut threaded onto the projecting end of said bolt, for adjusting the position .of the arm 70 and the'idler thereon.

Fixed on the main or drive shaft 17 is a driving sprocket '7 5 which i's embraced by a chain 76 which embraces also and -drives a sprocket 77 fixed on the shaft- 14.

The operation: The shaft 17, driven by the engine 4 or any other suitable source of power, will impart motion to the sprocket 7 5, chain 76 and sprocket 77, and through the latter to the worm 14 which will drive the wheel 12 and' thereby the traction wheels 11 and will simultaneously drive the bevel wheels 19, 20 to rotate the shaft 21 and drive the wheel 24, chain 25 and wheel 26. Also simultaneously it will drive the wheel 66, .chain 68and AWheel 67. AThus as the machine is advancing, both the scraper 36 and the scoop 65 will be set in action, inasmuch as the former is driven by the crank 27 on-which is mounted said wheel 26, and the latter driven bythe crank 614 on which is mounted the wheel 67. The action or movement of the scraper 36' is shown in diagram in Fig. 1, being (commencing at the full line position) first a downward scooping or scraping one, then curving slightly upward and forward, and then rearwardly, with the heel of the scraper lowermost, thentilting backward and discharging its load into the pocket or dirt-receptacle, and then (without vreversing itself or turning bottom side up` permost) righting itself and gradually tilting forwardly, as indicated at a, b, c, in said figure. This movement is due to the peculiar coperative arrangement, disposition and movement of the cranks 27 and 34, the former of which, it will be observed, makes a complete rotation (as indicated by the dotted line d) while the latter is prevented, by reason of the stop-arm 85 striking the pin 85 or the bottom of the piece 50, as the case may be, from completing a rotation, but is caused to oscillate in an arc, as indicated by the broken line c, same figure. When the crank 34 reaches its forward horizontal position the spring 37, which will have, to some extent, been coiled by reason of the crank so moving, will be exerting a resistance against the further progression of the crank and will of course tend to throw it back and aid in reversing its direction of movement. The cranks 59, 61 will carry the scoop through the same movements as the cranks 27, 34 carry the scraper 36. However, the ratio of speed will not be identical, because the differential mechanism 66, 68, 67 will cause the scoop to travel more rapidly at and approaching the discharge point than elsewhere, to throw the dirt free from the machine. Inasmuch as the wheels 66 and 67 are constantly changing their relationship I have provided the swinging, spring-resisted idler 69 which constantly compensates forthese varying conditions. As the machine advances, the scraper 36 will gather its loads and discharge them into the pocket of which the element 58 is the bottom and front. The scoop working in said pocket, and using said element as a scooping board, will elevate the dirt therefrom and after raising it will cast it to one side of the machine, as indicated at f, Fig. 1. The depth of cutting may be regulated by suitable adjustments of the castor wheel 5,which serves the further purpose of guiding the machine.

It has not been thought either necessary or best to encumber this specification and the accompanying drawings with descriptions and illustrations of modifications which are neither essential to nor form any part of the invention. In fact, it is apparent without such that a great many changes may be made in the details of construction, by modifications involving merely mechanical skill, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; that some of the parts may be used without the others; that certain of the combinations may be used without the elements with which they are herein shown as associated, and that some of the features may be used in machines differing greatly in function and purpose `from the one illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Therefore, without limiting myself to particularities, except where such are clearly indicated, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following, towitz- 1. In combination, a dirt-receptacle, means for moving it forwardly, means for discharging dirt into said receptacle, a scoop working insaid receptacle, means for driving said scoop in an advancing direction and then in a reverse direction and to partly overturn it, whereby it is caused to discharge its load outside of said receptacle, and a motor common to said mechanisms.

2. In aditching machine, a main frame, a dirt-receptacle supported thereon, a scraper for casting dirt into said receptacle, a scoop for removing dirt from said receptacle, driving means common to the scraper and scoop, and a motor common to said scraper and scoo and means for raising or lowering one en of the frame to adjust the depth of cutting of said scraper.

3. In a ditching machine, a dirt-receptacle, a scraper for casting dirt thereinto, a scoop for removing dirt therefrom, differential mechanism for operating the scoop, and a motor common to said scraper and differential mechanism.

4; In a ditching machine, a dirt-receptacle, means for throwing dirt thereinto, a scoop for removing dirt therefrom, differential mechanism for operating the scoop, a spring resisted idler coperating with said differential mechanism, and a` motor for driving the differential mechanism.

5. In a ditching machine, a dirt-receptacle, means for throwing dirt thereinto, a scoop for removing it therefrom, differential mechanism for operating the scoop, a swinging idler coperating with said differential mechanism, and a motor for driving the differential mechanism.

6. In a ditching machine, a frame, a rotatable crank carried thereby, an oscillatory crank also carried thereby, a scraper carried by said cranks, and a spring on one end of the last recited crank, for throwing it rearwardly.

7. In a ditching machine, a frame, a pair of side arms each provided with a forward and a rear aperture,a crankjournaled on said frame and its cross arm having bearings in the forward pair of said apertures, means for imparting rotary movement to said crank, a crank pivoted on the frame and itr cross arm having bearings in the rear pair or said apertures, and means whereby the last recited crank is caused to oscillate.

8. In a ditching machine, a dirt-receptacle having a curved bottom, a scraper for casting dirt into the front end thereof, a scoop traversing said curved bottom and moving at a right angle to said scraper, for removing the dirt from said receptacle, and means for imparting greater speed to the scoop at its discharge point than elesewhere.

9. In a ditching machine, a dirt-receptacle having a curved bottom, means for casting 5 dirt into the front end thereof, dirt-moving `means traversing said curved bottom and moving at a right-angle to said dirt-casting means, for removing the dirt from said receptacle, and means for imparting greater speed to the third recited element at its dis- 1o charge point than elsewhere.

In testimony .whereof I hereunto subscribe my name at Galesburg, Knox county, Illinois, this 3rd day of August, 1914.

WILLIAM H. ALLEMAN.

Witnesses:

H. M. RICHARDS, WEBB A. HERLOCKER. 

